Candle flash light



Jul 4, 1933. L FE ET A 1,916,472

CANDLE FLASH LIGHT Filed April 2. 1931 Patentecl'duly 1933 UN CT D "OF CE CORPQBATION' OF CONNECTICUT 'isAAo LYFERRIS QA'ND, GILES cl; FULLMER, OFEBRIDGEPORT, oomvrioriour, .ASSIGNORS TQ-QTHLE BR-IDGEPORT METAL GOODS MFG. 00., or nnmenronr, comvnc'rrou r, A

' v 'CANDLE FLASH men'st 1 Application. filed April, 2,

This'invention relates to new and useful improvements inportableeleotric lights of i the kind adapted to'be carried in the hand.

Anobjeotof the invention istoprovide a portable electric light generally in the form of a candle and including a glass'at its upper end disposed overa light bulb the glass being adapted to beremoved from the. light to expose the bulb without removing or disassembling any'other parts of the device.

; Another object is to providea portablelebtrio light generally in the form of a candle and including switch means whereby, when the lightis placed on a' support the light bulbisextinguished and whereby when the light is raised of? the supportjlthe bulb is energized and including other switch means adapted to be closed and remain' closed.to-energizethe A further object is to provide 2 a portable electric light generally in the form of a candleand including'a battery and a bulb and switch. means whereby whenthe light isplaced on a support the circuit throughithe bulb and bat tery is open and when the light'is raised off the support the circuit through the bulb and battery is closed .and including means wliereby 'this switch means maybe rendered in operative.

1 'An additional object' 'istoprovide aportable electric light generally in the form of a candle andincluding a battery and'a bulb andswitch'nieans whereby when the light is on a support the circuitthrough the bulb'and battery is open and when the light is raised oii the supportthe circuit through the bulb and'battery is closed, said switch means being so constructed that it may befrenderedentire- :ly inoperative, and the device including other switchmeans adapted tobe manually opened and closed. 7 r j Yet anotherobj eot is tojprovide a'portable electric'light generally inthe form ofa candle and including a sheet metal'casing and sheet "I ,metalbase adapted to be easily assembled whereby the light may be manufactured low cost andis light in weight. I Other and additional objects and advan-,

.tages will become apparent from a considerav 'tion of the following detailed description.

moved iea seriai n. 527,130.

taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention" is shownfi -Howev,er, itwill,

tionsas fall'within the spirit" of the linventiona ndthe scope of theappended claims to which claims reference is to be had -for adefi-' I 1 nition of the invention; I In the drawi I I plete'lighti' Fig. 2 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section and'on an enlarged scale;f

Y F ig. 4 is'a top plan view of the upper end of the casing Fig 5 is a bottom planj view' of the light, portions of the base being. broken away i Fig. 6'is'a detail sectional view substantially onthe line 6 of Fig. '2; and

' Fig. 7 is a'view somewhatsimilar toiFig.

6 but-showing the switch bar in the act of being turned to inoperative.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the improved light includes a base 10 supporting a casing 11 within which is disposed a battery 12 and at the upper end of which is arranged a bulb 13fadapted to be enclosedbya glass dome ltremovably mounted onthe upper] end of the casingas willlater be described in detail. 7

Thebase 10, is formed of sheet metal and i may be of any desired shape. TIhat shown isshaped to provide steps at 15 andI16 and,

may have its outer edge turned toprovide'the supportingbead17Eadaptedto rest on a table or the like without marringithe same. Centrally of its uppersurfaoe orstep 16 the base;-

includes an inturned porti0'nf18 pressed to.

provide screw threads as clearly shown.=in Fig. 2 and from the lower end ofthe' screw. threadedportion 18 the material'of the base is carried inwardly to provide an annular led'geor flange 19.

Supported by the ledge or flange 1 9 a'nd'se- Fg. 1 is aside elevational viewofthe com;

with the glass and bulbu'erender the automatic switch cured to the under side thereof as by Qrivets and 21 is a disc of lnsulating material 22. These rivets are of course in electrical con-' tact with the flange 19. 'A block 23 of wood or other non-conducting material is secured to the upper side of the disc 22 centrally thereof and as shown projects a considerable distance above the base 10. To the upper'end or side or the block 23 there is secured a spring contact member as including a mounting portion 25 and an overhanging spring contact portion 26. Preferably the contact member 24: is secured to the block and both parts secured to thedisk '22 by means of a relatively long rivet 2?. This rivet is in electrical engagementwith the contact member 2aand its head 27 is exposed at the under ide of disc 22.

A bracket 28 having a rectangular open ing 29 therethrough is carried by the block 23 atone side thereof as shown in Fig. 2. Operating through this bracket and through the rivet 21 is a rod 30 at its upper end carrying a contact finger 31 adapted to engage the contact element 2a, as suggested by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, when the rod 30 is in its lowermost position. The rod 30 ismounted for vertical movement through the bracket and rivet, and the upper portion of the rod is rectangular or other shape in cross section to conform to the configuration of the opening 29 in the bracket 28 whereby the rod is not free to rotate in the bracket.

The lower end portions 3 of the rod may be circular in cross section to conforn'i to the opening through the rivet 21. At the lower side of the disc 22 a spring 33, is disposed about the rod 30 between the head 34: of the rod and the rivet 21. Obviously, the spring normally tends to expand and move the rod downwardly or outwardly with respect to the casing 11. When the light is on a table or other support as suggested at 35 the spring 33 is held against operation and linger 31 is raised from and held out of contact with the contact 24, but as soon as thelight is elevated off the support the spring will act to slide the rod and bring the finger 31 into contact with the contact element 24.. This action will result in the energizing of the bulb 13 as will be set forth.

The central terminal 36 of the battery 12 is normally in engagement with the central contact of the bulbl3 as shown in Fig. 2. The battery is held in this position by means ofthe spring contactniernber 24 which has its resilient portion 26 disposed against the underside of the battery and in contact with the casing thereof and normally functioning to support the battery with its terminal 36 in engagement with the central contact of the bulb. Since the bulb is grounded on the easing and since the rod is in contact with the casing through the flange 19 and screw threaded engagement of the lower end portion of the casing with the portion 18 0f the gized.

The casing 11 is detachablysecured to the base 10 by threading the lower end portion.-

of the easing into the threaded portion 18 of the base. Thus, the parts are secured 'together whereby the base may support the cas ng in vertical position and yet'the parts may be easily disconnected to permit access to the interior as for replacement of the battery or the repair of a switch element. At its upper end the casing llhas an integral inwardly turned portion 37 including 7 a slightly raised portion having a curved flange 38 through whiclrthe stem of the bulb is threaded whereby the bulb is grounded on the casing and supported by the casing. This flange may have a notch 38 at one side to permit entrance of the threadon thebulb.

As before stated the glass dome l l is removably mounted on the member of the casing and according to the present invention the glass is so mounted as to be removable from the casing without disassembling any other parts or the like. Therefore, should the bulb 13 be burnt out access may be had to the bulb to replace the same simply by re moving the glass l land the new bulb may be threaded through the portion 38 until the in ner end of the stem engages the central terminal of the battery after which the glass may be replacedon the casin For cheapness in manufacture it is prefer.- able to form the securing means for the glass 1 separate from the casing and to thereafter secure the means to the casing. As herein disclosed the securing means includes aflat ring 39 formed of sheet metal and at spaced points about its outer edge carrying upturned spring fingers 40 adapted to I snap about a ring or bead 4-1 at the lower open end of the glass 14: whereby to removablyv secure the glass. At their upper end portions the fingers 40 are turned outwardly as at 42 and the flat ring 39 is preferably lanced at" spaced points and then has lugs 43 pressed, i

downwardly therefrom. These lugs may be too passed through the openings in the wall 37 of the casing and doubled upon themselves as best shown in Fig. 2 whereby to rigidly secure the ring in place on the casing. Since the portion 38 of the casing extendsupward- 1y through the. ring such portion will assist in positioning the ring on the casing so'as' to bring the lugs 43 on the ring into alignmechanism'is open;- Should'it be desiredto so the switch may be operatedwithoutlift he table or other sup-j commissioned. At a ing the device from 'ment with the perforations in the wall 37 of the casing;

Pivotally mounted at the underside of disc 22. by the rivet20 is a manually operable switch member 44 including a contact portionl45 and a hand or ,finger'piece 46. vThe member 44 extends through ajslot'47 in the base whereby the fingerpiece 46 is disposed at the outer side of the base and in position 1 to be graspedto rock the'member on its pivot 20- to either'op'en or close a circuitxthrough the'battery 12 and bulb I When member 44 is rocked on its pivot to bring its portion45 into engagement with'the lower end of the rivet 27 a circuitis'clo'sed between the battery and bulb and thebulb is energized. The complete circuit may be described as through the contact member 24,

rivet.27,' switch member 44, rivet 20, flange. 19v and casing 11 through its screw threaded connection'with the base, bulbv13 and through thecentral contact of'the bulb to'the central contact 36 of the battery) g e a From ;the description thus far it willrloe seen that when the light is deposited on a support as for example the table'3 5, rod'30 is movedupwardly againstthe'action of spring 33' whereby to carry its finger'3l outof en gagement with the contact member "24. Therefore, the circuit through this switch accordingly remain closed irrespective offthe position. of thelight. it is to be noted the handle 46iis exposed at the-top of the base port; 7 1

Means are I mechanism including the rod 30 may be de the bracket 28 the rod 30 is'notched as 'at 48.

For the greater portion of its length the rod? fits snugly'through the opening 29 in the" bracket 28 and 'isnot free to turn inthis open ing. However, the notched po'rtion48 of'the rod is of such reduced cross sectional-area that by grasping the head 34' on the rod and pressing the rod inwardly or upwardly to bringgthis notch into the opening 29 in the r bracket 28 the rod-may be rotatedto dispose its contact finger 31 in an inoperative 'position as suggested by thedotte'd'ilinesf in Fig 3. "Fig.7 shows the rod'3OLinthe :act. of being turnedxa'nd with its notched portion-48 locatedin the opening 29 of the -b racket,28. n

With the rod iturned r as "suggested :it' is obious' that the'nvfinger I 31 will not engage ,the'

lation of the switch member 44. M

provided whereby the switch point normally; below a contact member 24 to close-a circuit-when the 2 spring '33 acts to move therod-downwardly or outwardly. l

With-the one switch mechanism decommis- V sioned as explained in the foregoing para graph, it will be seen that thelight willnot be automatic in itsoperation and that it may.

behandled withoutthe bulb 13-b'eing 'ener gized' and that the circuit to the bulbmaybe.

opened or closed'at willbymanual manipu- T It is "d'esired to 'point out that shouldythe battery 12- need "replacing it is butnecessary to separate the base and casing as by'un Y screwing them and that 'the'battery may then belreadily removed and replaced; 1 Further, r I

it will be seen that onseparation ofthebase and casing the switch elements 'wh'ichare all P carried'by thebase are exposed for observation and repair or adjustment. [Thus it will 7 be seen-that the battery-may be replaced without disturbing the bulb-and as has been vpreviouslyexplained the-bulb'ma'y be replaced without disturbingthe-position of the bat tery or disconnecting the-base and casing.

The base,'-casing and means for securingthe glass to the casing are all of sheet metal and may therefore be constructed at low cost'and it will also be noted that the single disc 22 of insulating material carried by the base supports the two switch means and addition-' ally supports the spring contact member switch members are mounted by thesame' 'which not only-serves as a contact but also serves to hold the battery in engagement with v the bulb; It should also be noted that the rivets which secure the disc 22 to the a-nnu- Y lar flange 19 on the base and that these 'rivets further serve as connections in the respectiv'e circuits. p a V I 'Having thus set forth the nature of our invention,what weclaim is v 111M po electric light generallyin the=form of-a candle, a base of sheetimetal, a casing of sheet metal threadedto said base,

a bulb atthe upper end of said casing a batt'e'ryin said casing, a disc of insulating. mate rialcarried bythe base, a post of'insulating vmate-rial carried by the disc, a spring contact carried by the post and engaging the lower endof theebattery and acting 'to maintain thebattery in engagement with'the bulb, and

switch means carried by the disc and operable 'to' close a circuit between the battery and bulb." -e 2. In a portable electric light generally in the form of a candle, a casing adapted to rethecasing, means'remo'vably' mounting a glass "over bulb, a battery in said casr 'ing," switch 'means for closing a -circuit" through the battery and bulb, means mount ceive a battery, a base adapted to'sjupport;

said casing in a vertical position, said base" and casing detachably secured together," means mounting'abulbiat the upper end of ing the switch means on thebase, said switch means including a vertically reciprocatable rod, means normally serving-etc hold said rod; against turning movement, and means whereby said rodmay'be manually ad usted relative tosaid means and turned about its "of the casing, means removably mounting a glass over said bulb, a battery in said casing, automatic switch means adapted to close a circuit between the battery and bulb when the light is raised off a support and to open the circuit on the light being deposited on a support, said switch means including a vertically reciprocatablc rod, means-normally serving to hold said rod against turning movement, means whereby said rod may be manually adjusted relative to said means and turned to render the switch means inopera tive, and other switch means adapted to be manually operated to closed and opened positions andtorema-in in adjusted position until manually moved therefrom.

4. In a portable electric light generally in the form of a candle, a casing adapted to receive abattery, a base adapted to support said casing in a vertical position, a wall at the upper end of said casing, said wall hav ing a centrally raised and perforated portion, a bulb having its stem arranged in the perforation in said centrally'raised portion, a ring secured to said wall at the base of said raised portion and centered by said poringa bead adapted to be en aged by said spring clips whereby to removably secure the glass in place, a battery in said casing, and m'eansto close a circuit through the battery andbulb.

5. In a portable electric light generally in the form of a candle, a base, a casing removably mounted on the base, said casing open'at its lower end, a bulb at the upper end of the casing, a battery in the casing, a disc of insulating material'carried by the base and'closing the lower end of the easing when the casing is mounted on the base, a post of insulating material carried by the disc, a contact carried at the upper end of the 'postan'd engaging the lower endof the battery,,a pair of rivets securing the disc to the base and extending through the disc and base, one of the rivets of said pair being hollow, switch means slidably operating through the hollow rivet and adapted when 7 of rivets securing the disc to the base and eX- the light is raised oil" a support to engage the 7 contact and close a circuitbetweenthe bat tery and bulb and when the light is deposited on a support to be moved away from the contact to open the circuit, said hollow'ri'vet forming part of said circuit,- a rivet securing the contact to the post and extending through the base, and a manually operable switch means pivoted on the second of said pair of rivets V and operable to engage the rivet through the post to close a circuit through the battery and bulb independent of the first switch means. i 1

'6 In a portable electric light generally in the form of a candle, a base,-a casing removably mounted on the base, said casing, open at its lower end, a bulb'at the upper end ofthe casing, a battery in the casing, a disc of insulating material carried'by tliebase andclosing the lower end of the casing when the casing is mounted on the base,"a post of insulating material carried by the disc,"a contact carried at the upper end of the post and enthe lower end ofthe battery, a pair tendin through the'disc and base, one of said rivets being hollow, a switch means slidably operating through the hollow rivet and adapted when the light is raised oii' a support to engage the contact and close a circuit between the battery and bulb and whenthe light is deposited on a support to be moved'away from the contact to open the circuit, and saidhol-Y low rivet forming part of said circuit. a

'7. In a portable electric light generally in 190 the form of a candle, a casing adapted to re ceive a battery, a base supporting said casing in vertical position, said base and easing de V tachably secured together, means mounting a bulb at the upper end of a' casing, abattery in thecasing, switch meansfor closinga circuit through the battery and bulb and nor mally automatically. operable to close a circuit between the battery and bulb when the light is raised oil a support and to open the circuit on the light being deposited on asupport, said switch means including a'station ary contact, a vertically reciprocatablerod laterally of said contact, acontactarm on said rod and extending laterally therefrom to engage said stationary contact when the light is raisedoii a support, means normally serving to hold said rod against turning move ment, andmeans whereby said rod'maybe manually adjusted relative to said means and then turned to carry its contact arm into'a position extending away from said station ary contact whereby-to render said switch in operatlve; v 7 1 8. In a ,11ght,'a casing,a baseat one end of saidcasing, a bulb upon said casin a u i I source of electrical energy, a switch comprisstationary contact, a longitudinally movable pin for aotuating'said movable contact memher, a plate secured'to said base,and cooper ating means upon said pin and plate for holding said pinfin position with said contact members out of engagement.

9. In a light, a casing, a base for said casing,

a bulb upon said casing, a source of electrical energy, a swltchcomprislng a stationary contact member, a movable contact member and a longitudlnallymovable p n tor actuating said movable contact member, a support upon said base for insulatinglycarrying said stationary contact member, cooperating means upon said base andpin comprising a member fixed to said'pin for holding said pin in position With said contact members out oi} engage- 'ment, and yieldable means between said support and last mentioned member for normally urging said-pin in a direction to bring 'said contact members into engagement. V

normally urging said movable contact into engagement With the stationarycontac't, an

said movable contact member normally extendingbelow theplaneof the supporting surface of thebase When-the contacts arefin the aforesaid'engaged' position, and means operable'upon rotationof the pin to'hold the same aboveth-eplane aforesaid of the base wherein the contacts are out of engagement.-

whereof weaflix our. signav In testimony tures; 7 ISAAG'L. FERRIS.

axially movable-rotatable'pin for actuating a 

